HIGHLIGHTS

State-run HAL will hand over the first two Tejas aircraft to IAF.

The aircraft are likely to perform a sortie during the induction ceremony.

Tejas will feature in combat plan of the IAF next year.

State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will hand over the first two Tejas aircraft to Indian Air Force (IAF) which will make up the 'Flying Daggers' 45, the name of the first squadron of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).The LCA squadron induction ceremony will be held at the Aircraft

State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will hand over the first two Tejas aircraft to Indian Air Force (IAF) which will make up the 'Flying Daggers' 45, the name of the first squadron of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).

The LCA squadron induction ceremony will be held at the Aircraft System Testing Establishment here in the presence of Air Marshal Jasbir Walia, Air Officer Commanding-in Chief, Southern Air Command, officials said.

The aircraft are likely to perform a sortie during the induction ceremony.

The squadron will be based in Bengaluru for the first two years before being moved to Sulur in Tamil Nadu.

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, who on May 17 took his maiden flight in Tejas, had termed the aircraft as "good" for induction.

IAF has said the idea is to have a total of six aircraft this financial year and about eight in the next.

Tejas will feature in combat plan of the IAF next year and will be deployed in forward bases also, it has said.

Stating that LCA squadron should be formed by July, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had earlier this month said "next year I think two MiG-21 squadrons are being decommissioned; this will go into initially replacing them."

LCAs are better than the MiGs which are old and parts are difficult to get, he had said.

All squadrons of Tejas will be made up of 20 planes in total, including four in reserve.